World Food Policy WFP Volume 4, No. 2, Spring 2018 | Page 35

World Food Policy • Vol. 4, No. 2 / Spring 2018
Facilitating Inclusive Rural Transformation
in the Asian Developing Countries 1
Jikun Huang 2
Abstract
Rural economy has experienced significant transformation in Asia,
although the transformation differs largely among the countries.
This paper examines the path, major driving forces and the like-
ly consequences of rural transformation (RT) in China and other
developing countries in Asia. We argue that: 1) There is a general
path and trend of rural transformation in Asia; 2) In each stage
of rural transformation, there are specific institutions, policies and
investments (IPIs), which can stimulate and speed up the trans-
formation; 3) Rural transformation and structural transformation
(ST) are interconnected, successful RT can stimulate economic
growth and ST, and ST can enhance rural transformation through
labor-intensive industrialization; 4) The speed of RT is positively
associated with rural poverty reduction and therefore more inclu-
sive RT. The paper concludes with several policy implications for
inclusive rural transformation in Asia in general and in different
categories of countries in particular.
Keywords: Rural transformation, path, driving forces, inclusive,
China, Asia
Facilitando una transformación rural inclusiva
en los países asiáticos en desarrollo
Resumen
La economía rural ha tenido una transformación significativa en
Asia, aunque la transformación difiere mucho de país a país. Este
documento examina la trayectoria, las principales fuerzas impul-
soras y las posibles consecuencias de la transformación rural (TR)
1 The research was supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development and National
Natural Sciences Foundation of China (71333013). The author thanks for the research assistances
provided by Wanlu Dong and Jiliang Hu.
2 China Center for Agricultural Policy School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking Uni-
versity
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doi: 10.18278/wfp.4.2.4